ICE wasted millions in rapid expansion of immigrant detention system, federal watchdog finds
GAO says agency pursued six detention expansion initiatives without adequate planning, including warehouses and Guantánamo facilities
WASHINGTON (MNTV) — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement wasted millions of taxpayer dollars while rapidly expanding its immigrant detention system under the Trump administration, according to a new federal watchdog report.
The Government Accountability Office said ICE invested billions of dollars in six detention expansion initiatives since January 2025 without conducting the necessary analysis and planning. The watchdog warned that additional money could be wasted without a comprehensive strategy.
One of the largest initiatives involved purchasing 11 warehouses for about $1.07 billion with plans to convert them into detention facilities.
ICE now intends to sell seven of those properties. The agency has already incurred more than $20 million in costs it cannot recover, including spending on zoning assessments, title insurance, utilities and security.
The GAO also identified costly problems with plans to expand immigrant detention at the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
The Defense Department assembled tents designed to accommodate 5,000 people, but the Department of Homeland Security later determined they did not meet ICE detention standards. The tents were dismantled at a cost of about $2.85 million.
Despite plans for large-scale detention at Guantánamo, an average of only 16 immigrants per day were held there between October 2024 and June 2026.
The watchdog also examined Florida’s now-closed detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” FEMA awarded Florida $608.4 million through a detention support grant program even though ICE had no contract or agreement with the state authorizing the facility to hold immigrants.
The report found that ICE had also failed to adequately assess the long-term affordability of its expansion.
As of July, the agency had spent $2.5 billion purchasing warehouses and detention facilities but had projected operating costs for only the first three years, even though some of the federal funding supporting the expansion expires after fiscal year 2029.
The GAO recommended that ICE develop a comprehensive strategic plan covering its detention goals, activities and resource requirements.
The Department of Homeland Security agreed with the recommendation and said ICE plans to complete the strategy by Aug. 31, 2027. The GAO said a more timely response may be warranted given the scale of federal funding and the risk of further waste.
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